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My Favorite Vendor

I purchased a sheepskin to go over my hard corbin seat. When I called them to order, I asked about payment to expedite shipping. At the time, they may not have used credit cards. It was shipped out that day with the trust that I would pay in a timely manner. At Spokane, the Alaska owner came with me to my bike to adjust it properly. Great service, trusting staff and a great product. No detectable change in seat height but it makes a huge difference in comfort.

If you are talking about the sheepskin pads, they only raise you up about 1/4 inch. They sure are comfortable. And the price is extremely reasonable.

But if you are cheap like me, you can make your own fairly easily as well. The biggest problem is getting a good quality sheepskin in the colour you want. You can dye it at home, but they really don't take the dye all that well. I was able to pick up a good creamy white sheepskin at our local thrift store for $5.00 and washed it a couple of times at home in the machine, then tried to dye it black. Well, it came out a nice greyish blue, which kind of looks cool. Cut it to fit my whole seat (R100RT) then sewed some wide elastic to it, front and back. Slips on the seat nicely and has lasted me 2 years so far. Extremely comfortable. It does have longer hairs than the Alaska Leather butt pads have, but I kind of like it.

When you are riding long days, your butt will thank you for one of these pads, or a reasonable facsimile.

Good product, although I disagree about hot weather. With my butt down in the fur, there was a noticeable lack of ventilation and I got sweaty. I find beads to be much better in hot (and especially humid) conditions.

Another thing I didn't like was the fact that the pad had only the one strap to go around the seat. This meant that it wasn't held down as well as it could have been, and this caused problems like the front of the pad flipping back if I ever stood on the pegs, the pad sliding around, etc. I wound up modifying mine with a mini-bungee to strap around the nose of the seat of my R100R. Eventually, putting a bead-pad over the sheepskin held it down the best and improved the ventilation significantly.
(I used both items together to get more height on the seat).

All that said, the sheepskin is a good product for what it does and if it fits your needs. The skin is very durable and survives well after numerous thorough soakings and machine-dryings. Also, Alaska Leather is a very good company to deal with. I was even offered a 10% in exchange for telling friends about them.

I simply wouldn't ride in hot weather without mine - period. Not for anything beyond a very short trip.

And the part about raising you up a little bit is a positive, not a negative, on long days. When touring in the summer (when we basically live on the bikes for a few months) I start the day with the sheepskin off. First gas stop put it on. Then take it off or put it on occasionally throughout the day.

It only raises my butt a little bit - say 3/8" - but that change in seating position changes a lot of things: knee position, hip rotation, shoulder rotation, elbow angle, wrist position, and back and neck position - eyes to the horizon. So by alternating with the pad on the bike for a while and off the bike for a while I can change all of that, and ride a much longer day in comfort.

And - you won't find a better vendor than Barb at Alaska Leather. I know a handful just as fine - but none better.

Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russellhttp://web.bigbend.net/~glaves/

Sheepskin

I have found it more than enough to correct the problem I had with the factory seat (Low version/less padding - RT)
I can comfortably ride all day, but did need the JPegs to rest my knees.
I have not felt a need to look at Russel, Corbin, Sergeant or the many others that many swear by
Must be lucky with the right shape butt, and a good measure of "natural padding" Back to the question at hand, highly reccomend

Alaska Leather

It raises you perhaps 1/4 inch. I am extremely inseam challenged at 28 and 1/2 inches and cannot flat foot my R1200RT. I am on tiptoes and really don't want anything that raises me up more.

However, I have sacrificed the slight change in seat elevation in favor of the comfort that the Alaska Leather sheepskin provides.

Mine stays on the bike, winter and summer. It gets hot and humid in the summer here in North Carolina, but I have not experienced any discomfort with the sheepskin. In fact, it helps to keep the heat of the sun off the vinyl, when I stop for lunch.

Two here too:)

I have two and find the comfort a tad better with the sheepskin. The straps do little or no good and I cut them off after a while. Mine is loose on the seat, but still works fine. You cannot stand on the pegs this way, but couldn't either with the straps. I am looking for a way to fix it to the seat in a more permanent manner. Carpet tape may work, but you know! Its an old original Mayer seat cover anyhow Randy

I have two and find the comfort a tad better with the sheepskin. The straps do little or no good and I cut them off after a while. Mine is loose on the seat, but still works fine. You cannot stand on the pegs this way, but couldn't either with the straps. I am looking for a way to fix it to the seat in a more permanent manner. Carpet tape may work, but you know! Its an old original Mayer seat cover anyhow Randy

For years I have used a very elegant, high tech solution to the adhesive problem. I use a flat style bungee cord. Over the pad, over the seat - hooked on whatever is most convenient on that model. Bungee length carefully selected for whatever I find best to hook it on. I loop it over the front of the seat forward of where I sit. Easy to pull off and put it back on, too. Stays put if I stand on the pegs. Doesn't move when I get on or off - unless I blow it trying to get my tired leg up over the saddle.

I see a Burgman in my distant future

Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russellhttp://web.bigbend.net/~glaves/

I cut the strap that came on the sheepskin and stapled it to the underside of my saddle. I used a touch of self-sticking velcro on the nose to keep it tucked under. It has worn off so I should do it again. Replacing the velcro every 2 or 3 years is doable.

Marc, love the staples! Paul, great solution. I found that on the K75, the bulky plastic strap connectors would often press against one (or the other) of the battery-cover side panels... distorting it and in one case causing it to come off (at speed. no fun). Thus, my sheepskin pad often rides in my luggage. I'm going to attempt one of your solutions.